This invention relates generally to flooring segments, which are preferably carpet tiles and, more particularly, to a series of carpet tiles having adjacent surfaces of varying configurations suitable for forming a repeating series of tiles.
Modular carpet tiles are utilized in both household and commercial settings to provide an efficient and cost-effective manner for covering floor surfaces of differing dimensions. As can be seen in FIG. 1, known modular carpet tiles are uniform in shape, and are placed on a surface by abutting the tiles next to each other. Commercial interest in modular carpet tiles is due in part to the advantages of being more readily removed and replaced than traditional floor coverings, and providing relatively simple access to sub-floor space, which makes wiring, cables, plumbing, and the like readily accessible. Because of these advantages over more traditional floor coverings, such tiles are in popular demand.
The use of modular carpet tiles, however, is restrained in several respects. For example, consumers require the installed tiles to have a monolithic look. Consumers expect the finished product to have a seamless, uniform appearance similar to broadloom carpet. Further, an individual installing tiles with a face pattern must carefully orient the tiles to avoid a zippering effect otherwise caused by having offset or overlapping design patterns.
Additionally, modular carpet tiles typically have solid colors or random face patterns in order to facilitate the process of installation by permitting any one tile to be placed next to tile any other. As such, a large number of good carpet styles with non-random patterns made by tufted, woven, knitted, or print processes are excluded from the carpet tile market.
There are further problems known to the art. Generally, modular carpets are cut into square configurations (approximately 18".times.18" in size) by utilizing a straight-line die cutting press. In the cutting process, a predetermined length of the carpet (usually three feet for 18".times.18" tiles) is advanced onto the press from a roll of 74" wide carpet. Due to the imprecision in most advancement mechanisms, the carpet must be maneuvered slightly more than the predetermined length in order to extend material over the front of the cutting line. Consequently, each cutting stroke of the press typically results in excess carpet waste. Further, the straight-line cutting technique often creates, in the cross direction, frayed edges known as the "trailing edge" effect. Moreover, there is no flexibility in the cutting line in that a given die press is fixed for a set dimension. When a change in the tile size is required, the die must be removed and replaced with a new die of differing cutting dimensions, resulting in significantly higher costs and time for the cutting process.
Accordingly, there developed a need for a non-wasteful and efficient method for producing modular carpet tiles of varying dimensions that would allow the use of non-random face patterns and alternative carpet material. Further, there developed a need for carpet tiles that did not result in visible seams after installation, but allowed for more easily installed carpet tiles both with or without non-random face patterns.